February 25 Run/Walk: Meet at Commonplace Coffee on the North Side, 1501 Buena Vista St.

Heading for the Mexican War Streets this Sunday - meet at Commonplace Coffee, 1501 Buena Vista St.  Looking at the photo reminds me of a time when RG got coffee there during the dread pandemic (doled out of a window?) We were dealing not only with death and disease, but a fearful scarcity of public toilets, and Wendy and I wandered around desperate until a kindly officer let us into the police station. Memories! 

I showed up at last week's coffee a bit dazed after arriving at Pittsburgh International at midnight, so I can't share about the run/walk or even much afterwards, but luckily Virginia took photos.  There were also votes for:

• Worm Return
• Movie:  American Fiction - terrific

February 18 Run/Walk: Meet at Coffee Village, 801 Liberty Avenue (former Crazy Mocha) for a Downtown Run

A quick message here, filling in for Roye, to let you know that we will meet Downtown at the new Coffee Village (801 Liberty Avenue).

A large group of runners and walkers took to the streets of the Strip early last Sunday morning, and enjoyed the welcoming coffee and meles at La Prima/Colangelo's.  Such a comfort for a cold winter's morning.  

Good luck to all the bikers tomorrow morning at the 11th Annual Frigid Bitch ride!  Hopefully this surprise snow doesn't put a wrench into the fun but rather adds a layer of adventure.

February 11 Run/Walk: Meet at La Prima, 205 21st St. on the Strip

Back to the Strip this week - don't we all need to stock up on Steelers gear? Is there another city where the actual residents support entire blocks of local sports paraphernalia emporia? Evidently there are Steelers flamingo lawn ornaments.  So head for La Prima, 21st St., usually there is parking on Penn.

Last week we visited Highland Park, reservoir and surroundings, on a clear, cold morning, finally a visible sunrise!  Also a display of famous cashmere mittens and a pretty funny video.  We clearly have shpilkes as travel was a main topic:

• Plan for a bike trip to the PA Grand Canyon around Wellsboro in the fall.  Organizer Supreme Joanne is on the case.
• Getting ready for the Frigid Bitch - soon!
• Not frigid:  the Seagate Hotel in Vieques
• See the Raptor Migration at Hawk Mountain 
• Read: North Woods and This Other Eden
• Aretha Franklin's purses
• Normally we don't endorse Tiktok viral videos but anything that gets these laughs is OK (the ladies involved are laughing about it too.)

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February 4 Run/Walk: Meet at the Tazza D'Oro, 1125 N. Highland Ave. for a Highland Park excursion

We'll return to old favorite Tazza D'Oro and environs on Sunday.  Since the Pittsburgh cloud cover seems to be permanent, it's too much to expect that we will finally see sunrise (it's at 7:26) over the reservoir, but hope does spring eternal.

Our treks last Sunday in Squirrel Hill made the most of that neighborhood to wander by the current and former homes of RG members within trekking distance.  Of course there was no rain.  There were however mouth-watering pastries at Five Points, which I'm very glad I consumed before getting the results of my cholesterol test.  There were so many of us that several conversations were happening at once, but some endorsements were noted:

• Geraldine Day - a family event on the (never-to-be-forgotten) TV series Offspring providing a day on which a woman of a certain age gets everything she wants.  We feel this should be a national holiday.
• Canadians!
• Fern Hollow Bicycles - convenient, fast and adorable bike repair
• Watch the movie:  Past Lives - in theaters
• Watch the TV series: Outlander - has graphic sex and violence but what the hell
• Mahjong - no problem with sex and violence
• High heels - well, they were good, until they were not